Universal joint



w. G. GRIFFETH UNIVERSAL JOINT June 16, 1925.

Filed Nov. s, 1923 gs went 01', r/jfth,

stricted to, this use.

Patented June 16, 1925.

.-.UNlTED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. enIrFE'rH, or onannotrrn, non'rn: oanomna, assrenon froRoxanna: L. i onnrrnnns, or wmnnn, enonem. i

r umvnnsnr. Jom'r.

, Application filed November 8, 192a are; 1104673459,

To all whom ii/may concerns Be it known thatl', WILLIAM G. GRIF- rutrrr,a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county ofMecklenburg and State of, North Carolina, have in vented certain new anduseful Improvements in Universal Joints, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in universal joints, and moreespecially to universal joints of thetype used: in automobile steeringmechanism but not necessarily re- An important object of; my inventionis the provisionof a deviceof this character which is capable ofrre'movement with no limit of its rotation in either direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the abovementioned character which will be strong and durable in use andadjustable to take up wear.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will appear'from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanylng drawingswhich illustrate, by way: of example, preferred embodiments of theinvention, but which are not to be construed as definitions of thelimits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims forthat purpose.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of theinvention as it is applied, for example, to an automobile, and

illustrating the front axle thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the crank arm actuatedby the steering wheel and showing its connectionto the tie rod.

The invention will be described to illustrate, by way of example, itsapplication to a motor vehicle.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral1 indicates the front axle of a motor vehicle and may be of any desiredor standard form. The axle 1 is provided at each of its ends withsteering knuckles 2 and 3 comprising vertical posts 4 set in the forkedends of the axle 1 and each having extending laterally thereof hubs 5upon which the Wheels of the vehicle are rotatably mounted. Theconstruction thus far described may be of any convenient or usual form.

Each of the posts 4 has affixed thereto in 'any suitable manner asubstantially horizontally. rearwardly extending steering knuckle arm 6which is pivotally connect edto the tie rod 9 in any suitable manner,here shown as the coupling 10 which also serves to connect the drag line27 to the tie rod 9.

Rotatably connected to the drag link 27, at its outer end is a crank arm39 Fig. 2.

The crank arm 39 may be connected to the drag link in the followingmanner. A bolt receiving block 42 may be formed integrally with the draglink 27 or may be screw threaded over the outer end thereof, and may beprovided with an opening theretlirough which may be of double coneshape, as shown at 43 in Fig. 2, for the reception of one end of a blockbolt 44, the construction of which is shown in detail in Fig. 9. Theblock bolt 44 may have an internally screw threaded opening in one endfor the reception of the stem 45 of a grease cup 46, and is preferablytapered inwardly at 47 down to the reduced cylindrical and externallyscrew threaded end 48. The end 48 of the block bolt 44 is inserted inthe double cone shaped opening 43 provided in the drag link block 42,after which the cone point it is retained in position bythe lock nut 50.

The block portion of the block bolt 44 may be transversely bored toprovide a double cone shaped opening 52 to receive the lower end of thecrank arm 39 which 1s preferably formed with the integral cone shapedportion 53 and the reduced and screw threaded end 54. A tapered bushingor cone 55 is then screwed into place over the end 54 until the end ofthe crank arm 39 is tightly but rotatably fitted within the block bolt44, in which position the parts are retained by the lock nut 56. Thecrank arm 39 and the block bolt 44 are thus rotatable together in thedrag link block 42; and the crank arm 39 is independently rotatable inthe block bolt 44 about an axis transverse to the axis of the blockbolt.

i In operation, when the relatively rotatable parts become loose fromwear, they may be readily tightened by loosening the appropriate locknut and screwing in the cone bushing until the parts become tight again,and then looking tiheni in this position by' the lock nut, thus keepingthe parts tight and eliminating objectionable rattling, double tapereduniversal connection between the crank arm 39 and the drag link 27provides a freedom of movement of these parts which very greatly reducesthe effort of steering, and has the effect of-inaki=ng a lig ht carcapable of being steered very easily and with a in'iniinu'm of effortnot "only 'o've'na smooth suifface'fbut also through sandfor over roughground.

The inventienmey not'only be embodied in the steering in'echa'nism of aear-during its nianufact'urefbut may also *be' readily applied to carsnow in use by simply removing certain parts- 0f the steering mechanismand substitutingothei's herein described.

. hat isc'lainied is: 1

l. Ina steering mephanism, a drag link, and means for menaci said draglink 'to thecrankfarm of a steering'whe'el comprising (a portionfo'nsaid drag link 'h v'ingan opening tapering inwardly from "both sides Thea, cone shaped bushing, the other end of said block bolt having atransverse double 'cone shaped opening therein, and-a crank arm having aconical portion rotatably :mountdidsaid transverse opening and having areduced extension adapted to receive a cone shaped bushin I "2.ik-universal joint cijrhpri'sing a member having n dol'ibl'e" coneshaped opening therein, -a i'alOclflbOlthavihg a] cone shaped endrtatably mountedfin "said opening, said bloc-k bo'lt having a reducedportion adapted to re cei ve aeone shaped bushingjthe other end of saidblock b'o'lt' having a' transverse double conefs'haped openingthereinand a ember having aconical portion rotatably niou'n'tfed in saida'nsvei'seopening a'i'id ha'va reduc'ed'eXtnsion adapted "to receive acone shaped bushing. I

In testimony whereof I affix "my signature.

WVILLIAM Gr. GRTFFETH.

